Winter is on its way, and much of Manitoba is under a snowfall warning, including the city of Winnipeg. Environment Canada said a Colorado low is poised to affect southern Manitoba and Winnipeg over the weekend, as the storm system is expected to bring 20 to 30 centimetres of snow.

The weather service expects the snow will start this afternoon over southwest portions of Manitoba and spread east throughout the night. Snow will be heavy at times, and by Saturday morning most of the areas covered by a snowfall warnings will see falling snow.

Snow is expected to be the heaviest during the day Saturday, with areas near the Turtle Mountains and east of Riding Mountain National Park receiving as much as 40 centimetres.

The combination of heavy snow and winds in the 30 km/h range will likely produce near-zero visibility at times. Environment Canada warns motorists should be prepared for very poor driving conditions across southern Manitoba.

Snow is expected to taper off Saturday night.

RCMP Cpl. Miles Hiebert said drivers should use caution and reduce their speed on roadways. If possible, he said to avoid any unnecessary travel during bad weather.